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Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Life lessons learned

Kevin is down resting finally. He had a really bad night last night. This morning he could not get comfortable and has been in a lot of pain. What that man has been through and how he has dealt with it just blows my mind. I wish he would let me show you the pictures I took of his incisions. Then you might better understand what he is dealing with. Bed sheets are in the wash and he is finally down for a while, I can take a moment. Luckily Danielle left her computer home today.

Danielle is off to Smith Junior High for her student teaching. She is actually acting as the substitute teacher today. Her mentor teacher had to get his wife to a doctor's appointment today. She is experiencing some issues with her pregnancy. We wish their family the best. So, not that we are happy about the circumstances by which Danielle gets this experience, but at the same time this is good for her and she was excited to have this opportunity. I am a little biased, but I feel that Danielle is going to be an awesome teacher. (Did I mention she wants to teach High School English???)

Our son Curtis recently made some big changes in his life. He has been playing football since he was in Junior High. A few weeks ago he came to us to announce that he was going to quit the Varsity Team. That alarmed all of us! Football has been a big part of each of my boys lives. Kyle played all through Junior High and High School too. In fact, we consider his experiences with football part of the reason he is the man he is today. Team sports teach a child a lot in our opinion. They teach a child how to endure especially during the hard times. Not every young man will be a starter or even play every game. My boys did not start out in starting positions. Kyle spent many a game on the side lines and never stepped foot on the field for a couple years. But he never complained, he arrived at every practice on time and ready to work hard. In fact, I remember an awards assembly where he asked Kyle to come forward. Then the coach proceeded to tell all the other players and parents about how hard Kyle works and how he never complained and never swore. He said Kyle was the kind of player that he wanted. He said give me an entire team of players like this young man and he would be a very happy coach. We were totally shocked.

Back to Curtis.....Please understand that being the best on the field or starting was not a part of our expectations. The only requirement we placed on our children was that if they start something, they have to finish it. After all, if a young person quits mid-season he is letting down his team and his coach. That decision affects a lot of people. So, here Curtis was telling us he was backing out of football. We spent many a night talking to him. After all, this is his Senior year of high school. The only answer Curtis gave us was that he never really wanted to play and he doesn't get along with any of the other players. That very well may be, but again, our only requirement was that if you start playing they had to finish what they started. Curtis is NOT playing football now. We let him make this choice and did not force him to keep playing. Believe me it was hard. We feel he may regret this decision. In fact, his first night in the stands instead of on the field he kind of did regret it. He said kids in the stands didn't even know who he was and that bothered him. Curtis just turned 18 last Sunday. He very well could be going on a mission as soon as he graduates high school. We wonder if this is getting to him. Several other young men, including his cousin, went through similar experiences. They quit the football team too. Time will tell. I can honestly say, I will miss watching him play and his team every Friday night.

(Curtis is #72. After every game the entire team and all the people in the stands sing the school song together. Love the tradition!!!)

Kyle made a shocking announcement to me yesterday. He has decided to start working out with his weight lifting coach again. You see his high school football coach taught all the boys how to lift because they all had a weight lifting competition after football season was over each year. Kyle learned to power clean quite well and he loved it. After his mission he decided to try and find a place to work out. It just so happens that the Olympic Weight Lifting Coach for the USA has a gym here is Mesa, AZ. In fact, Kyle worked out with him for a while last year and had intended to go to the National Weight Lifting Competition, but that fell through because he didn't have to funds. Yesterday he made the decision to go back and work out to try and make it to the next National Competition and hopefully down the road be able to make the US Olympic Team!!! Huge news, right? This young man is super busy these days. He serves as the assistant scout master in our ward, he is working full-time, and going to school full-time as well. Not to mention the time he spends with Lanelle. (Did I mention we love this young lady??? She is awesome!!) So, he will be extremely busy working plus his gym workouts on top of all of this. I told Kyle, it doesn't matter if anything ever comes of this. We are proud of him no matter what. AND...if nothing ever comes of this, at least he can look back and say he gave it his all.

(this is just a pic of Kyle wresting with Curtis in our living room)

(this is a picture I found that kind of gives you an idea of what I mean by power clean)

Lexi has another Volleyball Game today. In case you were wondering, they lost yesterday. Lexi text me (because we couldn't go) telling me they should have won, but because one of the line judges (a student at the other school) decided to lie and tell the Ref the ball was in, instead of out, and they lost the game. Then Lexi said that same line judge was laughing about it to her teammates after the game. The girl thought it was funny that she called it in when it was actually out. Lexi said she wanted to yell at that girl, a Senior of Mountain

High School. I text back telling her NOT to yell at her because then they would certainly side with the other team. Speaks loudly about integrity, doesn't it?? See,.....these are the lift lessons that team sports teach our children. Kyle also played Volleyball in High School. He remembers experiencing the same thing and could talk to Lexi about it. Big Brothers and Sisters can be awesome, can't they? Lexi loves playing Volleyball. In fact, she is becoming very competitive. She said she just wants to win. Doesn't every team that ever played. Somethings I think you can learn a whole lot more about yourself, your team and your coach when you lose. Lexi's team has not won yet. Eventually they will win and then it will be all that more enjoyable for their entire team. Love that little libero!!! Keep working hard, Lexi.

(A pic of Lexi's T-shirt.)

That girl has more bruises on her knees!! She's tough! Go Mesa!!! Enough said.